Longtime Okla. DOT employee named director

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A longtime employee of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has been tapped to the head the agency at an annual salary of $139,000.

After meeting in executive session for about an hour on Monday, the Transportation Commission voted to hire Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer Mike Patterson as its new director.

Patterson will succeed current Director Gary Ridley, who is retiring at the end of March. Ridley has said he plans to continue serving as Gov. Mary Fallin's Secretary of Transportation.

A native of Oklahoma City, Patterson began working full-time for the agency in 1980 as a deputy comptroller. He was named assistant director of finance and administration in 1999 and held that post for 10 years.

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